Protective garment for use under gear

ABSTRACT

The invention is a garment designed for wear under equipment, such as a shin guard, which protects from contact dermatitis and other skin concerns while preserving elements to maintain or improve user comfort and performance. The garment may incorporate antimicrobial function by utilizing silver, copper, or another skin-safe component, as well as individual or combinations of elements including cooling, insulating, venting, padding, compression, odor control and other elements to protect the skin and improve function specific to the demands of the activity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/766,617, filed on Feb. 9, 2019.

BACKGROUND

This invention pertains generally to garments configured to protect skin under demanding use conditions. More particularly, the invented technology may be used in athletic or work wear to vent heat, wick away perspiration, and protect against growth of fungi, bacteria, or other microbes. For example, the invention may be incorporated into undergarments worn under uniforms or equipment, such as soccer socks that are worn under shin guards.

People are increasingly participating in physically intense activities of extended duration, such as athletic contests and band rehearsals. The duration and frequency of these activities are increasing and people are pursuing such activities over an ever-increasing percentage of the year. This means equipment is frequently worn for long periods of time and users are thus frequently exposed to the equipment for long periods of time. Dermatologists are reporting increased incidents of contact dermatitis, allergic reactions, and other skin issues from heat and repetitive wear or exposure to chemicals in the equipment. See, e.g., https://www.pediatricsconsultantlive.com/pediatric-skin-diseases/shin-guard-dermatitis; https://www.the-dermatologist.com/content/sports-gear-associated-contact-dermatitis; https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049353-overview#showall; Kockentiet, Brett & Adams, Brian, Contact Dermatitis in Athletes, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 56, 1048-55 (July 2007), available at https://doi.orq/10.1016/i.iaad.2006.12.025. The concurrent rise in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), along with other microbe-based health concerns, signals a need for protective gear that reduces or prevents these and other issues.

For example, in a sport such as soccer, the athlete wears shin guards for an extended period of time. This can cause skin issues such as rashes and persistent itching. These skin issues may arise, for example, from an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the shin guard, from irritation due to exposure to the heat and sweat generated by game play, or from exposure to bacteria, fungus, or other microbes that may thrive in the moist, warm environment of the skin-guard contact. To address such issues, an athlete may require topical treatment with an antimicrobial agent (e.g., antibacterial or antifungal) or corticosteroids on the shin area. This can be expensive, bothersome, and may itself lead to skin issues. It is also relatively common to wear a second set of socks to help reduce exposure to the shin guard. However, the game often requires extreme exertion for extended periods of time; wearing an additional sock could thus lead to, for example, the player over heating or suffering from fatigue. This could result in diminished athletic performance and enjoyment. And an extra sock does not in itself protect against exposure to potentially harmful microbes such as fungi and bacteria.

The issue is not unique to soccer. For example, other sporting participants and marching-band members wear equipment for extended periods of time and can suffer issues similar to the shin-guard rash that is not uncommon amongst soccer players.

Accordingly, there is a need for garments, and particularly undergarments, that provide protection against skin issues due to prolonged contact with equipment while preserving or enhancing comfort and performance.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to technology to satisfy the need for protective and functional garments. In one aspect of the invention, an undergarment, such as an under sock, is designed to provide antimicrobial protection by utilizing one or more textiles incorporating silver, copper, or another skin-safe component. The undergarment may incorporate cooling, insulating, wicking, or elastomeric textiles to provide venting, moisture-wicking, padding, compression, odor-control, and other features to protect the skin and improve the user experience. The components may be combined according to the specific demands of the activity and the equipment used in the activity to optimize protection, comfort, and performance.

In another aspect of the invention, a garment designed to be placed between the user, such as an athlete or band member, and the equipment used by the user, such as a shin, elbow, or shoulder guards or a marching-band harness. The garment includes an antimicrobial section (fabric panel) made of antimicrobial fibers such as fibers embedded with or bonded to silver or copper. The garment may further include a cooling section made of one or more cooling textiles, such as fibers embedded with or bonded to thermally conductive materials. The garment may also include a vented section made to enable air flow through the garment. The vents may be provided, for example, with regions of no or thin material surrounded by other material. The garment may also include one or more compression sections made with elastomeric fibers.

In another aspect of the invention, a sock for use under a shin guard includes an antimicrobial panel on shin portion of the sock so as to be placed between the user and the shin guard when both are worn by the user. The sock may also include an antimicrobial panel at the bottom of the foot portion of the sock so as to be placed between the user and the insole of a shoe when both are worn by the user. The sock may also include a vented panel at the top of the foot portion of the sock so as to be placed between the user and the upper or tongue portions of the shoe when both are worn by the user. The sock may also include a cooling panel at the lower calf portion of the sock so as to conduct heat generated by the user away from the user at an area not covered by equipment. The sock may also include an a seamless toe.

In another aspect of the invention, a garment includes a compressive region made of one or more elastomeric fibers and a means for providing antimicrobial protection against exposure to microbes. For example, silver or copper-embedded fibers may be incorporated into a region of the garment to deter the passage or growth of microbes at the region of the garment. The garment may also include a cooling region made of one or more cooling textiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary garment designed to be worn as a sock under a shin guard, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary garment designed to be worn as pants under thigh and genital guards, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary garment designed to be worn as a shirt under shoulder and elbow guards, according to an aspect of the invention.

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate an exemplary garment designed to be worn as a vest under a harness for supporting marching-band instruments, according to an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the summary above, and in the description below, reference is made to particular features of the invention in the context of exemplary embodiments of the invention. The features are described in the context of the exemplary embodiments to facilitate understanding. But the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. And the features are not limited to the embodiments by which they are described. The invention provides a number of inventive features which can be combined in many ways, and the invention can be embodied in a wide variety of contexts. Unless expressly set forth as an essential feature of the invention, a feature of a particular embodiment should not be read into the claims unless expressly recited in a claim.

Except as explicitly defined otherwise, the words and phrases used herein, including terms used in the claims, carry the same meaning they carry to one of ordinary skill in the art as ordinarily used in the art.

Because one of ordinary skill in the art may best understand the structure of the invention by the function of various structural features of the invention, certain structural features may be explained or claimed with reference to the function of a feature. Unless used in the context of describing or claiming a particular inventive function (e.g., a process), reference to the function of a structural feature refers to the capability of the structural feature, not to an instance of use of the invention.

Except for claims that include language introducing a function with “means for” or “step for,” the claims are not recited in so-called means-plus-function or step-plus-function format governed by 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Claims that include the “means for [function]” language but also recite the structure for performing the function are not means-plus-function claims governed by § 112(f). Claims that include the “step for [function]” language but also recite an act for performing the function are not step-plus-function claims governed by § 112(f).

Except as otherwise stated herein or as is otherwise clear from context, the inventive methods comprising or consisting of more than one step may be carried out without concern for the order of the steps.

The terms “comprising,” “comprises,” “including,” “includes,” “having,” “haves,” and their grammatical equivalents are used herein to mean that other components or steps are optionally present. For example, an article comprising A, B, and C includes an article having only A, B, and C as well as articles having A, B, C, and other components. And a method comprising the steps A, B, and C includes methods having only the steps A, B, and C as well as methods having the steps A, B, C, and other steps.

Terms of degree, such as “substantially,” “about,” and “roughly” are used herein to denote features that satisfy their technological purpose equivalently to a feature that is “exact.” For example, a component A is “substantially” perpendicular to a second component B if A and B are at an angle such as to equivalently satisfy the technological purpose of A being perpendicular to B.

Except as otherwise stated herein, or as is otherwise clear from context, the term “or” is used herein in its inclusive sense. For example, “A or B” means “A or B, or both A and B.”

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary protective garment (a sock) 100 configured to be worn under a shin guard such as may be worn by soccer or hockey players. The garment 100 includes an antimicrobial panel 110 positioned on or as part of the garment 100 such that the panel 110 will be interposed between the shin guard and the user's skin when the garment 100 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 110 may, for example, be constructed from an antimicrobial textile woven into the garment 100. The antimicrobial nature of the textile may be effected, for example, by embedding or bonding copper or silver in or to the fibers of the textile. The antimicrobial nature of the panel 110 helps protect the user from fungi, bacteria, and other microbes that may form near or at the moist, warm contact of shin and shin guard and further may inhibit the growth of such microbes on the garment or shin guard (which may control odor). The antimicrobial panel 110 further prevents direct contact between the user's skin and the shin guard, thus helping to protect the user against exposure to allergens and irritants in the shin-guard material.

The exemplary protective garment 100 may also include an antimicrobial region 112 positioned on or as part of the garment 100 such that the region 112 will be interposed between the insole of the footwear (e.g., shoe or skate) and the user's skin when the garment 100 is worn. This antimicrobial region 112 may be constructed similarly to the antimicrobial panel 110 by using one or more antimicrobial textiles. The antimicrobial nature of the region 112 helps protect the user from fungi, bacteria, and other microbes that may form near or at the moist, warm contact of foot and insole and further may inhibit the growth of such microbes on the garment or shoe (which may control odor). The antimicrobial region 112 further prevents direct contact between the user's skin and the insole, thus helping to protect the user against exposure to allergens and irritants in the insole material.

The protective garment 100 may further include, for example, a seamless toe 114, heat-dissipating vents 116 (e.g., gaps in the material or regions of thinner material), a cooling region 118 constructed of cooling fibers, or one or more compressive regions 120, 122 constructed of a compression textile (which includes elastomeric fibers). The seamless toe 114 may improve the fit of the garment in another sock, or in equipment such as a shoe or skate. The vents 116 and cooling region 118 will help move heat away from the user's skin while in use. The compressive regions 120 and 122 may help maintain the position of the garment 100 during use, and compressive region 120 may also help reduce user fatigue. These attributes, jointly or in concert, may, for example, improve the performance of the garment when worn under another garment. For example, the protective garment 100 may be a sock that is worn underneath the shin guard and also underneath a second sock that is worn over the shin guard. The seamless, venting, cooling, and compression attributes of the sock will enable the antimicrobial protection provided by the antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112 while minimizing the discomfort due to fitting and heating issues when worn underneath another sock. Alternatively, the cooling regions may be replaced with insulating regions to help maintain user temperatures in cold-weather applications. Although not shown in FIG. 1, padded regions may also be incorporated into the garment 100 at select points to help protect the user against pressure from the equipment or impact on the equipment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary protective garment (pants) 200 configured to be worn under genital or thigh guards such as may be worn by football or hockey players. The garment 200 includes an antimicrobial panel 210 positioned on or as part of the garment 200 such that the panel 210 will be interposed between the genital guard and the user's skin when the garment 200 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 210 here may be the same textile as described above with reference to antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112. Other antimicrobial panels 212 may be positioned between thigh guards and the user's skin. The garment 200 may also include one or more compressive regions 222 constructed of one or more compression textiles to, for example, help the garment remain in place while in use. The garment 200 may also include a cooling region 218 constructed of one or more cooling textiles to help move heat away from the user during use.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary protective garment (a shirt) 300 configured to be worn under shoulder or elbow guards such as may be worn by football, hockey, or lacrosse players. The garment 300 includes an antimicrobial panel 310 positioned on or as part of the garment 300 such that the panel 310 will be interposed between the shoulder guard and the user's skin when the garment 300 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 310 here may include the same textiles as described above with reference to antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112. Other antimicrobial panels 312 may be positioned between elbow guards and the user's skin. The garment 300 may also include one or more compressive regions 322 to, for example, help the garment remain in place while in use. The garment 300 may also include one or more cooling regions 318 to help move heat away from the user during use.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an exemplary protective garment (a vest) 400 configured to be worn under a marching-band harness. FIG. 4A depicts the vest 400 from the front, FIG. 4B depicts the vest 400 from the back. The garment 400 includes an antimicrobial panel 410 positioned on or as part of the garment 400 such that the panel 410 will be interposed between the harness's shoulder strap and the user's skin when the garment 400 is worn. The antimicrobial panel 410 may include the same textiles as described above with reference to antimicrobial panel 110 and region 112. Anther antimicrobial panel 412 may be positioned between the harness's T-bar/belly plate and the user's skin. The garment 400 may also include one or more compressive regions to, for example, help the garment remain in place while in use. The garment 400 may also include one or more cooling regions to help move heat away from the user during use.

While the foregoing description is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the basic scope of the invention. And features described with reference to one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated above, without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims which follow. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A garment for use under equipment comprising an antimicrobial panel positioned on the garment at the point of contact with the equipment when the equipment is used, wherein the antimicrobial panel includes antimicrobial fibers.
 2. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a cooling region which includes a cooling textile.
 3. The garment of claim 1 further comprising vents.
 4. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a compression region including an elastomeric fiber.
 5. The garment of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers embedded with at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloys, and copper alloys.
 6. The garment of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers bonded to at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloy, and copper alloys.
 7. The garment of claim 3 wherein the vents include at least one of the group consisting of material thinner than the garment's surrounding material, regions of no material, and regions of perforated material
 8. A sock for use under a shin guard, the sock comprising: (a) an antimicrobial panel at the shin portion of the sock, wherein the antimicrobial panel includes antimicrobial fibers; (b) an antimicrobial panel at the bottom of the foot portion of the sock, wherein the antimicrobial panel includes antimicrobial fibers; (c) vents at the top of the foot portion of the sock; (d) a cooling region at the lower calf portion of the sock, wherein the cooling region includes a cooling textile; and (e) a compressive region at the upper calf portion of the sock, wherein the compressive region includes an elastomeric fiber.
 9. The sock of claim 8 wherein the vents include at least one of the group consisting of material thinner than the surrounding material, regions of no material, and regions of perforated material.
 10. The sock of claim 8 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers embedded with at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloys, and copper alloys.
 11. The sock of claim 8 wherein the antimicrobial fibers are fibers bonded to at least one of the group consisting of silver, copper, silver alloys, and copper alloys.
 12. The sock of claim 8 further comprising a seamless toe.
 13. A garment comprising: (a) a region comprising an elastomeric fiber; and (b) a means for protecting against exposure to microbes through the garment.
 14. The garment of claim 13 further comprising a region comprising a cooling fiber. 